Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-05-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
FROM our regular oOrrsspOndent.l

WASHINGTON, May End, 1887.
The beautiful Capital Of the United
States is beginning 20 bloom now and
in one week more II will be in all it,
glory of vernal attire. Ii Is well that il
does, for n good representation of the
Nation will be here during the next few
weeks, and the city wants to look itslove,
liest. The streets are being swept, the
lawns trimmed, the fountains sparkle
in the sunshine, and the parterres begin
to blaze with natures brightest hues.
Washington Will be nothing If not
lively during the month of May. The
Grand Encampment of the Salvation
Army opened the din on the lst. Then
Patti took up the strain with admission
fee to the Grand Stand ranging from
ten dollars upward. Almost stimuli
taneOusly the flyers of the Jockey Club
and FOrepaugh's Circus will make no
end to home runs at the race track and
athletic park respectively, and about
the time these rackets weary an enter
tainment will be in order, which, for
tunately for pockets, is free to all.
This will be the dedication of the
Garfield statue by the Army of the
Cumberland, with procession, music,
and an Grafton by the late Speaker
Keifer, who by special permission OF
the High Custodian of political corpses,
has been resussitated for this occasion
only, for period not to exceed twenty
minutes. Then there will be side
shows in abundance, League chamion-
ship games, conventions, reunions, a
visit from the Queen of the Sandwich
Islands and from hundred or two
thousand American sovereigns, and
then will come the crowning event of
the season, the long expected National
Drill, lasting for more than week and
eliminating in a grand final pageant
on Decoration day.
The work of fencing in the Drill field
is going on and everything will be in
readiness in due time. The enclosure
is l $50 feet in diameter, and the grand
stand will be so\arranged as to enable
spectators to see the entire field and all
Of the performances. For the camp,
$50 tents have been engaged and some
of the visiting companies will bring
their own tents. At one extremity of
the Drill ground a panorama of the
famous battle between the Merrimac
Monitor in Hampton Roads will be
erected, which will be very realistic
exhibition of this encounter. 1t will be
in full view of the grand stand, and
will form one of the attractions each
night.
General Augur has been appointed to
the command of the National Drill
camp. He is fine, soldierly looking
officer, who lives quietly with his fami-
ly in Georgetown. 1t was expected that
a man ofnational reputation would be
appointed to this position, for the
reason that it is national affair.
crowds of American citizens are coming
from all parts of the country, and it was
that all the arrangements
would be as national as possible in
character. Still it was no easy matter
to find just such cOmmandant who
had sufficient leisure to give the matter
the necessary attention at this time
Gen. Anger, being on the retired list,
can devote himself exclusively to his
duties, and it is thought, will prove
in other ways. He was
very much gratifed by. the honor con-
fered upon him. At present it seems
as if all that will be necessary to make
the event successful in every particular
is that those who furnish the weather
for us will suppress everything akin to
the beastly article that was inflicted
here at the same time last year.
The Garfield statue which is to be
unveiled with imposing ceremonies
cost $65, ,000 of which $4,000 was ap-
by Congress for the pedestal,
and the other S35 900 was raised by his
of the Society of the Army of
the Cumberland. 1t stands in circle
at the foot of Capitol Hill, Southwestern
ly from the Capitol, and is pedestrian
figure of heroic size. 1t represents
Garfield in graceful attitude, with
one hand holding manuscript, as if
he were addressing the people, and the
other resting on book supported by
column, while his top coat is thrown
back, giving the figure lifelike ap-
pearance. The figure is of course con-
;ealed from public view by a winding
sheet of black cambric, but it was un-
1raped for few minutes to be photo
sraphed, and again redraped so to re-
main until the formal unveiling on the
twelfth inst.
The inscription on the pedestal has
been criticised because it refers to Gar
Held as Senator and also Member of
Congress. He was never in fact Sena-
-or but only Senator-elect, and strict
y speaking there is no such thing as
member of Congress, but only Senators
and Representatives in Congress.